Hairpin opener



March 14, 1939.

M. R. ANDERSEN HAIRPIN OPENER Filed Feb. 4, 1937 INVEN 0R MARGARET ANuERaIN BY 014% M ATTORNEY meme Mar. 14, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE nsmrm oramm Margaret It. Andersen, Genoa, Colo. Application February 4, 1937, Serial No. 123,970

9Clalms.

This invention relates to improvements in hairpin openers.

Hairpins of the type usually referred as babette or "bobbie pins are formed from resilient material, usually from steel, and close inwardly for grasping a lock or a whisp of hair. One prong of such pins is usually flat or straight while the other is corrugated but they may both be either straight or corrugated.

Pins of the type referred to must be opened or the prongs moved apart before they can be applied to the hair and this cannot be done with onehand alone. Where one hand of the oper ator is employed in holding the hair-it is the usual practice to employ the other hand and the teeth for opening the pin.

It is the object of this invention to produce a spreader or opener for hair pins of the type designated, by means of which a pin held in one go hand can be spread or opened by a simple movement of the hand and held open until the operator can adjust his or her fingers so as to hold it open after it is removed from the spreader.

Another object is to provide a spreader or opener of wedge shape that can be attached to a base and attached to a table or to the operator's finger.

' This invention can be most clearly explained and will be most clearly understood when reference is had to the accompanying drawing in which it has been illustrated in its preferred form andin which: I

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing one form of the invention fastened to a table.

35 Figure 2 is an end elevation, looking in-the direction of arrows 2 in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a section looking in the direction of arrows 33 Figure 1 and shows a pin in spread position.

Figure '4 is a view similar to that shown in Figure 3 and shows the initial position of the pin.

Figure 5 is a section taken on line ,5-5 Figure, 1.

Figure 6 is a development of the metal plate from which the device is made.

Figure 7 shows a modified form of the invention, supported by the thumb of the operator.

Figure 8 is a section taken on line 3-3Figure '7. c

Figure 9 is a view similar to Figures 3 and 4 and shows a slightly different form of the in-' vention.

In the drawing reference numeral l0 designates a table or other support to which the hair- 55 pin opener is attached. The table represents the operator's table employed in beauty parlors.

The opening device may be made in many specifically difierent ways but has been shown as formed from a piece of sheet metal of the shape shown in Figure 6. The metal blank I I is rectangular. One of the long edges has been designated by numeral I2 and the two ends by numeral l3. Extending from the side opposite edge 12 is a rectangular part l4, symmetrically positioned with respect to the middle of the blank 1 and considerably shorter than the blank. The edges I5 and iii are of equal length. Dotted lines l1, I3, and I9 designate lines where the blank is bent to form the body of the device. Those por-' tions between the lines I! and the ends form the .15 supporting feet of the device and have been designated by numerals while those portions between lines l1 and I8 form the supporting standards and have been designated by numerals 2|, all as shown in Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4. The part 20 I4 is bent about line I 9 until it assumes the position indicated in Figures 1 to 4. The ends of part I4 are bent upwardly as indicated by numerals 22. The juncture between the part I4 and the part bounded by lines l2, l8, and I3 forms the apex of a spreader or wedge. A rubber friction member 23 may be secured to the edge of the part ll in the manner shown in Figures 3 and 4. Thefunction of member 23 is to prevent the hairpin from slipping after it has been spread and is not usually necessary. When both sides of the hairpin are straight the friction member is useful. The bent up edges 22 serve as guides that prevent the pins from sliding ofi the ends of the spreader. 3

In order to position and guide the pin a guide member or supporting shelf 24' is provided a short distance below the apex of the wedge or spreader. This shelf or guide may be positioned as shown'in Figures 1 and 3 or may be a wire 40 positioned below and somewhat to the front of the apex of the wedge in the manner shown in Figure 4 where it has been designated as 24'. The use of a guidesupport 24', positioned as shown in Figure 4 makes it possible to turn the hairpin about the spreader in a manner more clearly shown in Figure 9 which will now be described.

, In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 9 the spreader 25 is made thinner and narrower thanthe corresponding element shown in Figure 4. The guide support or shelf 24 is placed somewhat below and to the right of the apex of the spreader. One or more hairpins 26 can be positioned as indicated by pin A and whenever the operator 5 wants to remove a pin for use she rotates it com-- terclockwise intoposition B whereupon the relative rotation of the pin and spreader opens the pin in the manner shown and when the operator grasps it between the thumb and forefinger she holds it open until it is in position and when the pin is released it clamps on the hair. It will be noted that the difierence between the device illustrated in Figure 4 and that shown in Figure 9 is one of dimension only.

It is frequently desirable to have the hairpin opener attached to the thumb or finger of the operator, in the manner shown in Figure 7, and for this purpose a smaller spreading device is used and attached to a spring clamp or support 21 whose resilient arms engage the .thumb or other finger in the manner shown. The spring clamp corresponds to the support comprising portions 20, El, etc. The spreader 28 has been shown as formed from a piece of sheet metal bent into a shape whose transverse section is wedge shaped but it is obviously possible to form the wedge in some other suitable manner. Instead of a narrow guide shelf like 24 in Figure 3 a wider shelf or guide is used and this has been designated by reference character 24a. The spreader 28 is attached to the shelf 24a and spaced from its upper surface so as to provide an opening 29 for the reception of one side of the hairpin which is inserted from right to left in the manner shown in Figure 4. It is evident that the dimensions employed in the drawing can be varied as the specific embodiments and dimensions shown are illustrative only. When employing this spreader the operator picks up a pin, slides it over the spreader of. the opening device and after it has been opened it is held open between the thumb and forefinger until positioned on the hair.

When either of the specific embodiments of the hairpin opener is used the operator is free to employ one hand for holding the hair and with the other she may pick up a properly opened hairpin and thus avoid the necessity of employing her teeth or otherlmeans for opening the same. The method illustrated in Figure 9 is believed to be particularly desirable as it involvesmerely the steps of applying the pin to the spreader by a sliding motion and then turning it relative to the spreader through an angle of approximately 90 degrees. The shelf or guide '261 serves as a stop to limit the rotation of the hair pin on the spreader. The devices illustrated in Figures 4, '7 and 8 are adapted to be used in the same manner as that illustrated in Figure 9 but. must be altered in several of their dimensions.

It is realized that this invention may be em-z bodied in other forms than these shown and all variations that fall within the scope of the appended claims is intended to be included.

Having described the invention what is claimed as new is:

1. A hairpin opener, comprising in combination, an anchoring device, a spreader element non-movably attached to the anchoring device, and a guide member carried by the anchoring device and spaced a short distance from one side' of the spreader to position the open end of a hairpin with respect to the spreader so that the latter willenter between the sides of the hairpin and spread the latter when it is moved in the direction of its length and transversely of the spreader.

2. A hairpin opener comprising in combination, a support, a spreader member carried thereby and non-movably attached thereto, the spreader member having an oblong cross section, and a guide member positioned to one side of the spreaderand spaced from one edge thereof.

3. Means for opening a hairpin whose sides.

section, means non-movably attached thereto for attaching the same to a support, and a member of friction material attached to the spreader, for engaging one prong of a bobbie pin when the spreader member is inserted between the sides of the latter by a movement of the pin, in the direction of its length, transversely'of the wedge.

5. A bobbie pin opener comprising a spreader member having its ends provided with supporting legs for engaging a stationary supporting base and a guide member attached at its ends to the legs and spaced from one edge of the spreader member to support the end of a bobbie pin and to guide its movement into a registering position in which the spreader member will enter.

each end extending substantially at right angles to the main body of the opener to form supporting legs, the extreme ends of the end portions lying in a plane substantially parallel to a line joining the tops of the legs, and a guide member secured to the legs adjacent an edge of the portion connecting the legs and spaced from the edge, whereby a bobbie pin, when supported on the guide, will be in position to straddle the leg connecting portion when moved in the direction of its length.

7. A bobbie pin opener formed from an elongated blank of sheet metal having a substantially rectangular portion, of shorter length, projecting from one side, the said portion being bent into an angularly overlapping position, those portions of the blank beyond the ends of the lateral rectangular portion being bent at righ angles to form legs.

8. A bobbie pin opener comprising in combination, a support and a wedge shaped spreader carried thereby, there being an opening between the spreader member and the support for the reception of one prong of a pin, the spreader engaging between the prongs to efiect a spreading action.

9. A hairpin opener, comprising in combination, a support, a spreader member of wedge cross sections carried thereby and stationary relative thereto, and means comprising a portion of the support for guiding the open end of the hairpin to facilitate the insertion of the wedge between the prongs thereof.

MARGARET R. ANDERSEN. 

